After a near brush with extinction at the end of the 20th century, the island fox no longer is an endangered species on Santa Cruz and the other northern Channel Islands, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week. It’s believed to be the fastest ever recovery of an endangered species, and comes four years ahead of projections, thanks in part to the efforts of volunteers.
“I think people in Santa Barbara and beyond should be extremely proud of the efforts to recover the fox,” said Steve Henry, Field Supervisor for the wildlife agency. “This is a very charismatic species, and now you can go out to the islands, Santa Cruz in particular, and readily see the island fox. What the conservation community has done to preserve this species is nothing short of tremendous.”
According to the recovery plan released in March of last year, the effort by a consortium of agencies, conservationists, and volunteers has cost government agencies and conservation groups over $8 million.